Getting It Wrong on Powell

Many in the American political "left" do not understand the U.S. military, and it seems that many in the military do not understand the American political left. While there are suggestions that many traditionally Republican veterans and members of the military are so disillusioned with Bush that they will not be voting for him in the fall, that does not mean that they will be voting for Kerry - they simply won't vote. I think a good case study for the difference in mindset which leads to the schism between the military and the political left is Colin Powell.

Leave aside for a moment the thought that his resignation would be embarrassing to Bush, or would hurt Bush's reelection hopes. If you are on the political left and cannot understand why Powell would choose to remain and serve a President with whom he has significant personal disagreement, work to advance and effect policies with which he has significant personal disagreement, and even make public statements in support of those policies and proposed actions, the superficial response to your incredulity might be "you just don't get it". From what I have seen, people in the military have no problem understanding why, after committing to the job of Secretary of State, Powell's strong sense of duty and self-discipline would keep him from quitting or undermining the President. To the military mind, the recent spate of leftist editorials criticizing Powell for doing his job probably sound like nails down a chalkboard. If you can't understand that, at least try to ponder it for a while before you next criticize Powell for not quitting his post.

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